Chapter 26 #2
“Juju, I stayed in Harbor Cove because I always thought you’d come back there. I figured you’d marry Luke, and we’d all live out our days in that little town. And I was fine with that, but it all hinged on us being together. And we’re not.”
“I hate that, too, but…we’ll see each other more than we did when I first moved. I just…I was avoiding Luke and…” The weight of the unspoken emotions that she was still processing pressed down on her.
“We’ll see each other a lot more now,” Alicia said with a smile. “Unless you really don’t want me to stay which is kinda of sounds like you don’t.”
“I do!” Julia exclaimed, her words brimming with a glowing excitement as she reached across the space, clasping Alicia’s hand with a grip that conveyed more than words ever could. “I just…I’m surprised.”
“Happily, I hope.”
“Very happily,” Julia answered. “So, I guess you’ll be job-hunting, huh? Do you think Ethan will give you any problems with recommending you?”
Alicia offered her a tentative grin. “I actually already found one.”
“Wow, that was quick. I didn’t even realize you were looking. What did Ethan say?”
“I haven’t told him yet. I just accepted the position, actually.”
Julia’s heart skipped a beat, excitement for her sister coursing through her. “Ally! Congratulations. That’s so exciting. What’s the job?”
“Head of security for some crazy billionaire and his family. They’re coming off a really bad two years, but I’m hoping it’s settled down so it’s an easy gig.”
Julia’s jaw unhinged as she stared at her sister. “Are you kidding?”
Alicia cocked her head with a shrug. “Unless you have any objections, Grant just offered the job to me. He said I could hire Ethan so…you may have both of us sticking around.”
“Ally,” Julia said with a wide grin. “This is amazing.”
“So, you don’t object?”
“Object? I couldn’t have made a better pick. I’m thrilled! But I’m still surprised. I’m surprised you accepted.”
Alicia slouched in her chair. “Grant and I have been getting along a little better. I think it’ll work out. Unless his other ex-es are as crazy as his first. What’s he have? Three more?”
“Yeah, three more. I don’t think we can survive three more like Lydia.”
“Well, if you have to, I’ll be right by your side to face them.”
Julia’s features crinkled with a mix of happiness and love. She rose, pulling her sister into a hug. They clung tightly to each other for a moment, celebrating their new lives.
Julia pulled back, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Well, looks like I won’t have to beg you to stay for just a few more days, and we’ll have lots of time to spend together.”
“Nope. We’ll have tons of time together. I just have to break the news to Ethan.”
“I hope he stays, too. I really want you both here.”
“Me too. I think we can work things out.”
Julia squeezed her close again. “Oh, I hope so. I’m so excited. And now, I think I need to go thank my husband for that.”
“He didn’t tell you he was asking me?” Alicia asked.
“He didn’t. This must be one of those surprises he keeps promising me.”
Alicia bobbed her head up and down. “Must be. Well, you can go tell him he hit it out of the park with this one because he made two ladies very happy.”
“I will.” Julia crossed to the door, twisting to face her sister before she stepped through it. “Ally?”
“Yeah?” she asked.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Juju.”
Julia stepped into the hall, floating on air as she navigated to the stairs and descended down them to Grant’s office.
He stepped through the door as she hit the marble floor. “Hey, did you speak with Alex?”
“I did,” she said as she slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“Wow. It must have been some goodbye. Not that I’m complaining.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
She grinned at him. “Actually, we need to discuss that but first, I think I need to thank you.”
“For?”
“Hiring Ally.”
“Oh, that. So, she told you. Are you happy with that decision?”
Her smile broadened. “She told me, and I am very happy.”
“I’m glad,” he said, leaning closer for a kiss when Sierra’s voice interrupted them. He groaned as he pressed his forehead against hers.
“Julia, what is this ?” Sierra asked as she waved a thick stack of papers in the air as she stomped her way down the stairs.
Julia twisted to face her. “My manuscript.”
Sierra hit the marble floor, her eyes wide. “It’s romance.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll have the mystery one to you soon, but that one just…happened. If you don’t like it–”
“I love it. But you have to tell me these things! You can’t just…write stuff and not tell me. I’m your publisher.”
“I’m telling you now,” Julia said with a shrug.
Sierra waved the document in the air. “How soon can you get me another one of these?”
“Well, now that we’re not fighting crime on the side, you should have plenty of time to write…when I’m not whisking you away to Paris or the Caribbean,” Grant said.
“I can write from there, too,” she said with a coy grin, “but there is one place we need to go to first.”
He wrapped his hand around hers and pulled it closer to his chest. “Where is that?”
“When I was talking to Alex, he mentioned a visit to help him with something he and Ava are dealing with. Given everything he’s done for us, I told him we’d be happy to help. So…what do you say about a trip to the Hamptons?”
She raised her eyebrows, an excited smile on her lips. They’d battled more than any family ever should, but they’d came out on top. And they’d finally move forward to face whatever the future held. Together.
Grant and Julia found their happily ever after—but what about Alex and Ava? Read their story, starting with Stone’s Throw to Romance .